Massive Attack and Brian Eno support The Great Escape boycott against Barclays
- PublishedThu, May 16, 2024, 17:45
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- 137 artists have condemned the bank's investment in weapons companies selling arms to Israel.
- Massive Attack and Brian Eno have supported the 137 artists who have pulled out of Brighton festival The Great Escape (TGE) in solidarity with Palestine. Running from May 15th through 18th, TGE is sponsored by Barclays, which invests billions into arms companies selling weapons to Israel. Launched by Bands Boycott Barclays, a petition demanding that the festival ditches its sponsorship deal with the bank has been signed by 1,187 people. (Resident Advisor has contacted TGE for a response.) The acts boycotting TGE—which is also sponsored by Live Nation and BBC Introducing—include She's Got Brass, Tiberius b, Opus Kink, Lambrini Girls and Future Bubblers Soundsystem. Massive Attack praised all the artists for boycotting the festival, which is an important platform for up-and-coming acts. "We've endless special respect for younger artists or artists at earlier stages of their careers who chose to take a stand against corporate support for apartheid and now genocide in Palestine," the band said on X. "It's extraordinary to think that in 2024, promoters and festivals still don't understand that as artists our music is for sale but our humanity and morality is not." Eno also expressed his support for the artists. In a message on Instagram, published by Bands Boycott Barclays on Friday, May 17th, he said: "Although I understand the special cultural significance of TGE Festival, I want to salute the courageous artists who have passed up a chance to play there in support of the people of Gaza." He added: "I want to thank all the young people speaking up for Palestine. The young people who are always being told everything is 'too complicated' and they should leave everything up to the 'responsible adults.' Please I beg you, don't listen. Follow your instincts. The 'responsible adults' have lost the plot." According to new research by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Barclays has ties to nine companies that supply weapons to the Israel Defense Forces. According to PSC, the bank holds over £2 billion in shares and bankrolls £6.1 billion in loans to companies including General Dynamics, which manufactures gun systems for fighter jets. The bank also invests in Elbit Systems, which manufactures armoured drones, munitions and artillery weapons sold to the IDF. The death toll in Gaza currently stands at around 34,000 since October 7th. The campaign to boycott TGE has been backed by organisations including Artists for Palestine, the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and the Musicians Union. According to the petition letter, inspiration for the campaign was ignited by Artists Against Apartheid, whose campaign letter propelled thousands to close Barclays accounts, leading the bank to retract its investments from South Africa. Punk outfit Menstrual Cramps launched Bands Boycott Barclays after giving promoters an ultimatum. "A bank involved in Israel's genocide has no place at The Great Escape," the band said. "We refuse to let music be used to whitewash human rights violations. We cannot let our creative outputs become smokescreens behind which money is pumped into murdering Palestinians." Barclays, in a statement made under the FAQ section of its website, claims it doesn't invest in Israeli arms companies. "We trade in shares of listed companies in response to client instruction or demand and that may result in us holding shares." Other festivals with ties to Barclays include Latitude, Isle of Wight, Download and Camp Bestival. Music and tech platform SXSW also has ties to the industrial military complex, including the US Army and defence contractor RTX Corporation. A campaign in March launched by Austin for Palestine led to more than a 100 artists boycotting the event. More than two dozen solidarity events featuring artists who have boycotted TGE are taking place across Brighton this weekend. Find out more. This story has been updated to include details of a message on Instagram from Brian Eno. Read the posts by Massive Attack and Brian Eno in full. Update, May 17th: This piece was updated to include Brian Eno's support.